Electromagnetic actuator with detent means



Feb. 28, 1967 HOOK ET AL ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR WITH DETENT MEANS Original Filed Jan. 22, 1963 s W R 7 HI Wk N T, O 6 u NA 06 x 0 WJ! O T w GflM United States Patent 3,307,131 ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR WITH DETENT MEANS Gerald E. Hook, Indianapolis, Ind., and Albert J. Sobey,

Bloomfield Hills, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application Jan. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 253,087, now Patent No. 3,245,217, dated Apr. 12, 1966. Divided and this application May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,708 3 Claims. (Cl. 335--253) This application is a division of application Serial No. 253,087 filed January 22, 1963, now Patent No. 3,245,217, for a Cancellation Valve.

Our invention relates generally to an electromagnetic actuator and more specifically to an electromagnetic actuator provided with a detent to lock the actuator in one of its positions.

A general type of electromagnetic actuator uses the attraction of an armature to a magnetic field produced by a coil to translate the actuator in one direction and some non-electrical means to translate it in the opposite direction. This type of actuator has a variety of applications including uses for remotely controlling a latch, an electric switch or any remotely controllable device. In some of these applications, it is highly desirable to lock the actuator in one of its positions to prevent movement other than that intended for control purposes. Our invention is directed toward this feature of providing a detent for an electromagnetic actuator.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an electromagnetic actuator with a detent to lock the actuator in one of its positions which is simple, uncomplicated, and comprises a minimum of parts.

Another object is to provide an electromagnetic actuator with a detent which is automatically disengaged concurrently with and by the means causing movement of the actuator away from its locked position.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the succeeding detailed description of the invention and to the annexed drawing which is an elevation .view partially in cross section of a preferred embodiment thereof.

More specifically, the drawing shows an actuator in accordance with the invention used to control a latch for a port closure.

Referring to the figure, it shows a portion of a closed container indicated generally at 14 having a port 16 covered by a closure 18. The closure 18 is coupled by a hinge pin 20 to an arm 22 pivotally mounted to the container 14 at 24. A solenoid operated actuator indicated generally at 28 controls a latch member 50 which retains the upper end 26 of arm 22 in an upright position wherein the closure 18 carried thereon seals the port 16.

The actuator 28 comprises an annular housing 33 having a solenoid coil 34 which retracts a solenoid plunger or armature 36 into a chamber 38 within the solenoid structure. Slidably mounted within the annular housing 33 is a rod 42 having a frusto-conical piston head 44. The piston 44 on the rod member 42 has two springloaded detent members 46 which are resiliently urged outwardly into locking grooves 48 in the solenoid chamber walls 38. The outer radial surfaces of the detents 46 is canted to match the frusto-conical piston 44 so that one contiguous surface is presented when the detents 46 are retracted into the head 44. Attached to the other end of the rod member 42 is the closure restraining or latch member 50 which is slidable within a guide 52. A spring 40 is disposed between the end of the solenoid chamber 38 and piston 44. Spring 40 provides the force which translates the rod 42 to the extreme left position where member 50 is in a latching position.

When the solenoid 34 is energized, the solenoid plunger 36 is drawn toward the right into the solenoid chamber 38. An annular cam 54 extends from the right end of plunger 36 with an inwardly tapered inner wall 56 thereon engaging the spring-loaded detents 46 on rod 42 and camming them out of engagement with grooves 48 thereby unlocking the latch rod 42. After this initial translation toward the right, the cam 54 mates with the frustoconical piston 44 holding the detents 46 out of engagement and, consequently, the rod 42 is caused to become unlocked. The translation of armature 36 toward the right then continues with the armature 36, end wall, and cam 54 abutting the face of piston 44 and drawing it, the rod 42, and latch 50 toward the right against the action of spring 40. As a result of this action, the upper end 26 of arm 22 is no longer retained by latch 50 and closure 18 may be pivotally removed from port 16 either manually or automatically. In order to lock the closure 18 over the port 16, it is manually or automatically returned to a sealing position and the solenoid 34 is then deenergized. In some applications, it may be desirable to have the solenoid 34 deenergized automatically in response to the closure 18 sealingly engaging the port 16. Upon deenergization of solenoid 34, spring 40 will urge rod 42 and armature 36 toward the left until the detents 46 align with grooves 48. When aligned, the detents will be spring biased outwardly locking the rod 42 and latch member 50 carried thereon into a locking position. The radial outward movement of the detents 46 also cams the armature toward the left a slight additional amount.

Thus, it can be seen that we have invented an actuator provided with detent means to lock the actuator in one of its positions wherein the detent is automatically disengaged by the means which moves the actuator away from its locked position.

It should be understood, of course, that the above description is in connection with a preferred embodiment of the invention made for the purposes of disclosure only and that various modifications and changes may be made to the example chosen for disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electromagnetic actuator comprising:

a fixed annular chamber open at one end, said chamber including a solenoid and a locking groove,

a piston reciprocably mounted in said chamber, said piston having a frusto-conical portion with a concentric rod extending axially therefrom toward said one end, said rod and piston being translatable between a first and a second position,

a coil spring disposed between said chamber and said piston resiliently urging said piston to said first position,

a plurality of circumferentially spaced detents on said piston having an outer radial surface contiguous with said frusto-conical portion, said detents being radially extendable to engage said locking groove to lock said piston in said first position,

an armature reciprocably mounted on said rod and engageable with said piston to translate it in an opposite direction to said second position, and

an annular cam extending from said armature toward said piston having an internal frusto-conical surface adapted to engage said detent and cam them out of locking engagement with said locking groove whereby said cam mates with said frusto-conical portion to unlock said piston and translate it to said second position upon energization of said solenoid.

2. An electromagnetic actuator comprising:

a fixed chamber open at one end, said chamber including a solenoid, Y

a piston reciprocably mounted in said chamber having a rod extending axially therefrom toward said one end, said rod and piston being translatable between a first and a second position,

spring means disposed between said chamber and said piston resiliently urging said piston to said first position,

a plurality of radially extendable detents on said piston engageable with said chamber to lock said piston in said first position,

an armature reciprocably mounted on said rod and engageable with said piston to translate it in an opposite direction to said second position, and

a cam extending from said armature toward said piston adapted to engage said detents and cam them out of locking engagement with said chamber whereby said piston and rod are unlocked and translated to said second position upon energization of said solenoid.

3, An electromagnetic actuator comprising:

a fixed chamber open at one end, said chamber including a solenoid,

actuator means reciprocably mounted in said chamber and translatable between a first and a second position,

an abutment surface on said actuator means,

spring means disposed between said chamber and said actuator means resiliently urging said actuator means to said first position,

detent means on said actuator means, said detent means being extendable out of said abutment surface and engageable with said chamber to lock said actuator means in said first position,

an armature reciprocably mounted on said actuator means and engageable with said abutment surface to translate said actuator means in an opposite direction to said second position, and

cam means on said armature extending toward said abutment surface of the actuator means adapted to engage said detent means and cam it out of locking engagement with said chamber whereby said actuator means is unlocked and translated to said second position upon energization of said solenoid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,201,545 8/1965 Kruzic 317 187 X 25 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

G. HARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

3. AN ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR COMPRISING: A FIXED CHAMBER OPEN AT ONE END, SAID CHAMBER INCLUDING A SOLENOID, ACTUATOR MEANS RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER AND TRANSLATABLE BETWEEN A FIRST AND A SECOND POSITION, AN ABUTMENT SURFACE ON SAID ACTUATOR MEANS, SPRING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID ACTUATOR MEANS RESILIENTLY URGING SAID ACTUATOR MEANS TO SAID FIRST POSITION, DETENT MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR MEANS, SAID DETENT MEANS BEING EXTENDABLE OUT OF SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CHAMBER TO LOCK SAID ACTUATOR MEANS IN SAID FIRST POSITION, AN ARMATURE RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ACTUATOR MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE TO TRANSLATE SAID ACTUATOR MEANS IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO SAID SECOND POSITION, AND CAM MEANS ON SAID ARMATURE EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ABUTMENT SURFACE OF THE ACTUATOR MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID DETENT MEANS AND CAM IT OUT OF LOCKING 